The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) have confirmed that Tropical Cyclone Imogen is coming hot and heavy, marking the first cyclone of the wet season.
If anyone knows about getting wet and messy in summer, its Queensland. Last night, our friends over at the BOM announced that Cyclone Imogen had hit land after forming over QLD’s south-east Gulf Coast. As of Sunday night, the category one cyclone was located 10 kilometres north-east of Karumba and is expected to travel east-south-eastwards before dissolving into a tropical low.
Although a relatively docile event, severe weather and flood warnings have still been issued for parts of the north tropical coast, particularly the area between Burketown and Kowanyama.
“Coastal residents between Karumba and Kowanyama are specifically warned of the dangerous storm tide on [Sunday] evening’s high tide,” the BOM announced overnight. “Sea levels are expected to reach well above the normal tide, with damaging waves and flooding of some low-lying areas close to the shoreline.”
A decent downpour in Cairns. Apparently the heavy rain will come later as the impact of #CycloneImogen (which made landfall 750km west of here) is felt in Far North Queensland. pic.twitter.com/uiztPLSs6k
— Simon Atkinson (@atko1978) January 4, 2021
Thanks to the La Niña spell currently sweeping the country, Australians have found it pretty hard to keeps themselves dry this summer. As a result, the bureau have predicted that we’ll see a 66 per cent higher chance of frequent tropical cyclones this wet season.
“We’re still early in the season,” BOM forecaster Matt Marshall told press. “I think there’s a good chance we’ll see a bit more activity about the Gulf and the Coral Sea later in the season.”
The first tropical cyclone of the season is about to hit Australian waters and they named it “Cyclone Imogen”. Hot, wet and totally destructive! Very me.🌪
— Imogen (@imogenloxley) January 3, 2021
On average, four tropical cyclones hit the Aussie coast each season.
Find out more on the BOM website
